Vucic: The Open Balkan initiative brings benefits to all countries

Ohridsko Jezero, Ohrid, Severna Makedonija,
Petar Lazović

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said in Ohrid, North Macedonia, that the Open Balkan initiative brings benefit to all countries in the region.

This year’s two-day Open Balkan summit is hosted by North Macedonia in the Ohrid lakeside resort on June 7 and 8.

The Open Balkan initiative is no substitute for anything, not even for the European Union, it is a special initiative of the Balkan peoples, said Vucic.

He told press prior to the summit that this was the best initiative in the region in the past few decades, and that “those who want to join will, those who don’t, won’t”.

Asked if the Open Balkan initiative is really open without “the Republic of Kosovo”, Vucic said “as for anyone’s desire to join the Open Balkan, everyone is welcome. You call that the Republic of Kosovo, we call it differently. If you want us to solve problems in the interest of the citizens, whether we will have enough flour, oil and everything else, that is a matter for the Open Balkan.”

Montenegrin Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic said at the Open Balkan summit in Ohrid that the Western Balkans’ place is in the European Union. “As a leader in integrations, Montenegro is ready to be a positive example in this process,” Abazovic wrote on his Twitter account.

Vucic said he would raise the question of ways in which countries in the region can help one another in terms of food, energy, gas hub construction and that of joint plants, especially reversible power plants.

„With a beautiful view of Lake Ohrid, this evening I spoke with [Albanian PM] Edi Rama, [Montenegrin PM] Dritan Abazovic, [North Macedonia’s PM] Dimitar Kovacevski and [Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina] Zoran Tegeltija about the situation in the region and all issues of importance to our citizens,” said Vucic in an Instagram post.